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Impairments / Ear, nose & throat
Impairment · 2005 PDRS Section 2

Hearing, ear, nose & throat: PD rating

Hearing loss, vestibular (balance) disorders, and facial / ENT impairment. These arrive directly as a whole-person impairment (WPI) percentage.

WPI → PD rating
Example — a 10% WPI hearing-loss impairment: 10 × 1.4 = 14 standard rating (DOI ≥ 2013), before the occupational and age adjustments.
The occupational and age steps and the final dollar figure depend on the specific job and birth date — the calculator computes them exactly.

How hearing-loss ratings work: the evaluator computes impairment from audiometric testing — pure-tone thresholds in each ear are combined into a binaural hearing impairment, which converts to whole-person impairment under Chapter 11 of the AMA Guides. The 2005 schedule files hearing impairment under number 11.01.01.00 (vestibular/balance disorders under 11.01.02.00), and the WPI then runs the standard pipeline: the 1.4 adjustment, occupational variant — noise-exposed trades often carry higher variants for hearing — and the age modifier.

Impairments in this system · 8

Ear - Hearing ImpairmentEar - Vestibular DisorderFace/cosmeticFace/eye/cosmeticNose/Throat - RespirationNose/Throat - Mastication & DeglutitionNose/Throat - Olfaction & TasteNose/Throat - Voice & Speech

Ear, nose & throat rating FAQ

How is a hearing, ear, nose & throat injury rated for permanent disability in California?
These arrive directly as a whole-person impairment (WPI) percentage. The WPI is multiplied by 1.4 to get the standard rating (dates of injury on or after 2013 under SB 863), then adjusted for the worker’s occupation and age, apportioned under Lab. Code §4663, and combined with any other impairments. Example — a 10% WPI hearing-loss impairment: 10 × 1.4 = 14 standard rating (DOI ≥ 2013), before the occupational and age adjustments.
What body parts are in the Hearing, ear, nose & throat section of the PDRS?
The 2005 PDRS lists 8 impairments here. Hearing loss, vestibular (balance) disorders, and facial / ENT impairment.
Does the occupation change a hearing, ear, nose & throat rating?
Yes — after the ×1.4 step, the occupational group applies a variant that raises or lowers the standard rating. See the occupation pages for how each group treats this region.
Is this a legal PD rating?
No — it’s an estimate for informational use. Confirm every rating against the DEU. RateString rates strict AMA Guides 5th-edition values under the 2005 PDRS.
Related: how occupation adjusts a rating · weekly rate caps by year · hearing-loss value
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Estimates for informational use only. Always verify ratings against the DEU. Not legal advice.

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